In a recent statement, authorities in the United Arab Emirates revealed that the co-pilot of a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv, armed with an axe, had planned to hijack the aircraft and crash it into the main passenger terminal at Israel’s international airport. The Omani national behind the attack aimed to cause significant human casualties among the predominantly Israeli passengers on board. Drawing inspiration from the 9/11 attacks, the co-pilot utilized two previous flights to familiarize himself with the route and airport layout.
The UAE’s top prosecutor stated that the suspect acted alone and confessed to his motives and the detailed planning of the attack in the presence of his lawyer. The co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly became radicalized while attending the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia in 2017. Despite no prior indications of extremist tendencies, the pilot’s abrupt assault on the captain, Smit Machchhar, with a crash axe led to a dramatic in-flight crisis.
Following Machchhar’s distress signal, passengers intervened, subduing the co-pilot and stabilizing the aircraft after a rapid descent. With the assistance of reserve pilots, the plane made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. The comprehensive update from the public prosecutor sheds light on the harrowing incident that unfolded in the skies above Jordan and Saudi Arabia, involving the thwarted attempt to carry out a deadly attack mid-flight.
